Electromagnetic switching system



0 4, 193a. c, J, EVANS HAL 2,131,942

ELECTROIAGNETIC SWITCHING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 32 46 .1 1 2 l 2? a? 30-R\\ Q8) 3P m g y 6%fvans C-fWcSWL g Oct. 4, 1938. c. J. EVANS ET AL ELECTROIAGNETIC SWITCHING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2, 1936 I I I I I" I I k I, 1, Illlllllllb...

Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCHING SYSTEM Charles James Evans and Stanley Charles Evans, Loweltolt, England Britain January 2, 1935 'lClalma This invention relates to deflecting devices adapted to be associated with the lamps of automobile vehicles.

Devices are known wherein provision is made under the control of an electromagnet for deflecting the beam of light emitted by a motor vehicle lamp to a plurality of positions, but in these devices no provision is made ior automatically reducing the current consumption when the beam is displaced to any one oi its deflected positions.

Other electromagnetic devices are known for dipping one of a pair of lights and extinguishing the other to avoid dazzle when two vehicles are passing each other, wherein a supplementary winding is brought into action by a contact device at the end of the operation of the main winding for reducing the current consumption, but in these devices the beam is capable of occupying only one dipped position.

The present invention consists of means for causing the beam or beams of light emitted by one or more motor vehicle lamps to occupy a plurality of deflected and/or dipped positions with or without causing one or more other lights to be extinguished or dimmed, controlled or actuated by the operation of one or more solenoids and/or electromagnets consisting in part of one or more slidable cores, and having means for reducing current consumption when the beam or beams of light occupy each or any one or more of their deflected and/or dipped positions.

According to a feature of-ythe invention, there is provided an electromagnetically operated light deflecting and/or dipping mechanism comprising the combination of one or more electromagnets consisting in part of one or more slidable cores or magnetic plungers adapted to impart motion to means for controlling the beam of light to be deflected and/or dipped to a plurality ofpositions, a plurality of contacts, and means controlled or actuated by the movement of the core or cores for actuating the contacts and thereby reducing the current consumption of the magnet windings with or without causing one or more other lights to be extinguished or dimmed.

According to another feature of the invention the electromagneticaliy operated light deflecting and/or dipping unit or switch aforesaid may comprise the combination of an electromagnet consisting in part of a slidable core, one or more electromagnets or portions of magnetic material arranged in the path of the core each being slidable with the movement of the core, a plurality of contacts and means on the slidable core for actuating the contacts so as to control one or more circuits whereby the current consumption of the magnet windings is reduced with or without one or more other lights being extinguished or dimmed.

The inward movement of the slidable core may be effected by the magnetism produced when electric current passes through one or more primary windings and the core may be held in its required position by the magnetism produced when electric current passes through one or more secondary windings with or without one or more primary windings, a resistance being introduced into the circuit or circuits of the primary windings or the circuit or circuits of the primary windings being interrupted. The secondary or resistance windings may be energized at the same time as the primary windings, or alternatively, they may be energized when the core has reached its'required position.

The core is held in its required positions and is prevented from continuing its inward movement to its full extent by reducing the magnetism of the magnet windings when the core reaches or almost reaches its required position, the amount of magnetism than being sufilcient to hold the core in contact with the magnet situated in its path, but being insuilicient to continue its inword movement. In order to continue the inward movement of the core so that it occupies a second, third or so energized position the magnetism of the magnet windings is again increased.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal section showing one convenient form of electromagnetically operated light deflecting and/or dipping unit or switch, according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the unit shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof, while Figure 4 is a. wiring diagram showing one convenient method of arranging the magnet windings and contacts of the switch shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section showing another Iorm of switch, or unit, and

Figure 6 is a plan view thereof, while Figure 7 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram showing one convenient method of arranging the magnet windings and contacts oi' the switch shown in Figure 5.

ating rod 21.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 to 3 show an electromagnetically operated switch |9 adapted to cause the beam oi light of a motor vehicle lamp to occupy a plurality of deflected and/or dipped positions. This switch i9 comprises an electromagnet 20, which may be of any convenient form. This electromagnet has a core or magnetic plunger 2| slidable in the non-magnetic tube 22 which carries the magnet windings and is carried by the U-shaped frame 23. The slidable core 2| may be of any convenient form. In the type illustrated there is provided a shock-absorbing spring 24, held in position by the non-magnetic washers 25 and 26, whereby the motion of the core 2| is imparted to the non-magnetic actu- The purpose oi the magnet is to tilt the reflector of the lamp, or cause change in position of one or more reflecting elements and/or refracting elements and/or light sources, whereby the beam of light emitted thereby is moved to a plurality of deflected and/ or dipped positions.

The bore of the tube 22 is of two different diameters, being greater at the end 28 than at the end 29, thereby producing a step 30 at the junction of the two bores 28 and 29. Situated at the step 30 in the bore 28 is an electromagnet or cylindrical portion of magnetic material 3| having a bore therein through which the rod 21 is free to pass. This electromagnet or magnetic stop 3| is capable of sliding against the return spring 32 towards a fixed electromagnet 33 situated at the end of the tube 22 remote from the magnet 3|. The arrangement is such that the two magnets 3| and 33 may come into contact with each other. The U- shaped frame 23 carries a plate 34 of insulating material carrying on its under side three contact pieces 35, 36 and 31, which are fixed to the plate 34 at one end and are disposed parallel to each other extending through holes in the plate 34 and adapted to make contact with three independent spring contact strips 39, 40 and 4| mounted on the upper face of the plate 34 and disposed parallel to each other. The contact strips 39, 40 and 4| are fixed to the plate 34 at one end, the strip 39 being connected to the terminal 42, the strip 40 being connected to the terminal 43 by a connecting strip situated below the plate 34, and the strip 4| being connected to the terminal 44. The negative or earth terminal of the switch is shown at 43. The contact piece 31 is connected to the terminal 45. The ends of the strips 39, 40 and 4| remote from their anchorage to the plate 34are curved upwards so as to allow the wedgeshaped cam 41 of insulating material carried by the lateral projection 46 of the core 2|, to press them upwards out of engagement with their corresponding contact pieces 35, 36 and 31. The lateral projection 46 of the core 2| extends through a slot in the plate 34, in the switch illustrated, and the cam 41 is disposed above the plate 34.

The rod 21 of the switch i9 may be utilized in any convenient manner so as to communicate motion from the core 2| to the member to be actuated. For example the switch i9 may be fitted at the rear of the pivoted reflector with the rod 21 arranged so as to work in conjunction with a lateral projection of the rear of the reflector and thereby tilt the reflector about its pivot axis.

The magnet windings and contacts of the switch or switches may be arranged in any convenient manner, one convenient method of arranging those of the switch I9 is shown in the wiring diagram illustrated in Figure 4. Referring to this Figure 4, the contact pieces are represented at 33, 36 and 31 respectively, whilst the spring contact strips are represented at", 40 and 4|, respectively. The primary coil oi. the magnet windings 2|] is represented at 49, the secondary or resistance coil of the magnet windings 2|) at 60, the source of current at SI and the fuse at 32. At 33 is represented the switch (or controlling the circuits of the magnet windings which is arranged to supply electric current either to the terminal 43 or to the terminals 42 and 43, whilst the switch for controlling the lights is represented at 64. In this figure, the contact piece 31 and the spring contact strip 4| are arranged in the circuit of the head light 55 to be extinguished, the headlight that is deflected and/or dipped being represented at 36. The contact piece 31 and the spring contact strip 4| may be omitted when extinguishing the light 55 is not required, or extra contacts may be added when other lights are required to be extinguished.

In the switch l9 illustrated the spring contact strips 40 and 4| are longer than the strip 39 being arranged so that when the core 2| is in ccntact with the magnet 3| the strips 40 and 4| are out of engagement with the contact pieces 36 and 31 respectively, whilst the contact strip 39 is still in contact with the contact piece 36. When the magnet 3| is pushed into contact with the magnet 33 by the core 2|, then the spring contact strip 39 is out of engagement with the contact piece 35.

In Figures 2 and 4 the terminal for the first deflected and/or dipped position is represented at 43 and the terminal for the second deflected and/or dipped position is represented at 42. Thus when current is supplied to the terminal 43 it is supplied direct to the primary coil 49 since the secondary coil 69 is short circuited by the contacts 36 and 40. This causes the core 2| to be drawn inwards until the contacts 38 and 40 are disconnected which introduces the secondary or resistance coil 50 into the circuit 01 the primary coil 49, and reduces the current consumption and magnetism of the magnet windings and ceases the inward movement of the core. When the core has reached this position the reduced magnetism of the magnet 3| is suflicient to hold the core in contact therewith. When current is supplied to the terminal 42 the terminal 43 remaining connected to the current supply, the primary coil 43 is again connected direct to the source, the current being conveyed by the contacts 35 and 39. thereby short circuiting the secondary coil 30. This again increases the magnetism and causes the core 2| to be drawn still further within the solenoid until the magnets 3| and 33 are in contact. When this occurs the contacts 35 and 3t are disconnected thereby introducing the secondary coil 50 into the circuit of the primary coil 43, which reduces the current consumption and magnetism of the magnet windings to an amount suflicient to hold the core in its inner position. It will be noticed that the switch l9 arranged as shown in Figure 4 has a delayed return to normal, the said return to normal being effected by means of a return spring (not shown) which is associated with the lamp and causes the same to exert pressure on the member 21 in the opposite direction from that in which the core is adapted to move under the influence of the magnetic fleld due to the energizing oi the solenoid, so that after causing the beam to occupy its second, third or so deflected or dipped position by supplying current first to the terminal for the flrst position and then to the terminal for the second or third or so position, the current supply has to be disconnected from] both or all of the said terminals before any return movement of the beam occurs. The magnet windings may comprise any number of coils and any other convenient method of arranging the magnet windings and contacts may be employed.

The switch 51 shown in Figures 5 to '7 is similar to the switch l9, but diifers therefrom in that the core has three energized positions, for which purpose there is provided two slidable magnets 3| and 58 separated by the spring 82. The magnet 58 is separated from'the fixed magnet I! by the spring 59 which is of higher tension than that of the spring 32. The tube 22 has two steps and 60 for the two magnets 3| and 58, respectively. In this switch 51 there is provided for the third deflected and/or dipped position an extra contact piece 6i fitted below the plate 34 and working in conjunction with a spring contact strip l2 fitted above the plate 34, the strip 62 being shorter than the strip 39 and the strip being shorter than the strips 40 and I. The terminal for the third deflected and/or dipped position is shown at 63.

The wiring diagram shown in Figure 8 is similar to that shown in Figure 4, the contacts 6i and 62 are arranged similarly to the contacts 86 and 39, respectively, so that when electric current is supplied to the terminal 63, terminals 42 and 43 remaining connected to the current supply, current is supplied direct to the primary coil ll, being conducted by the contacts SI and 82 thus short circuiting the secondary coil until the core reaches its innermost position. When it reaches this position the contacts 6! and 82 are disconnected thereby introducing the secondary coil again into the circuit of the primary coil.

Any desired number of electromagnets or portions of magnetic material may be similarly arranged in the path of the core, and any number of contacts may be arranged to be actuated according to the position of the core, so as to obtain any desired number of deflected and/or dipped positions of the beam of light.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. An electro-magnetic switching system comprising a bascplate, a solenoid rigidly supported thereon, a core slidably engaged in the solenoid, a displaceable member rigidly connected with the core and adapted as a consequence of the slidable movement thereof to be moved into a plurality of positions. a control switch having a movable contact and a plurality of fixed contacts correspending in number with the said number of positions. means adapted upon movement of the movable contact of said control switch into engagement with any one of the fixed contacts to cause the solenoid to be energized at a relatively high rate of current consumption whereby the core is caused to move the displaceable member into one of the said positions, stops adapted to retain the core in any one of the positions into which it may be moved as long as the movable contactoi the said control switch is maintained in engagement with the corresponding fixed contact, and switching means secured to the base plate adapted as the core approaches any one of the said positions to be actuated by the displaceable member to reduce the current consumption of the solenoid.

2. An electro-rnagnetic switching system comprising a base plate, a solenoid rigidly supported thereon, a core slidably engaged in the solenoid, a displaceable member rigidly connected with the core and adapted as a consequence of the slidable movement thereof to be moved into a plurality of positions, a control switch having a movable contact and a plurality of fixed contacts corresponding in number with the said number of positions, means adapted upon movement of the movable contact of said control switch into engagement with one of the fixed contacts to cause the solenoid to be energized at a relatively high rate of current consumption whereby the core is caused to move the displaceable member into one of the said positions, an axially movable stop within the solenoid adapted to retain the core in the said position as long as the movable contact of the switch is maintained in engagement with the said contact, means adapted as the core approaches the said position automatically to reduce the current consumption of the solenoid, means adapted upon movement of the movable contact into engagement with a further fixed contact to cause the solenoid again to be energized at a relatively high rate of current consumption whereby the core and the displaceable member are moved into another position, a stop adapted to retain the core in the second mentioned position as long as the movable contact of the switch is maintained in engagement with the second mentioned fixed contact, and switching means secured to the base plate adapted as the core approaches the said other position to be actuated by the displaceable member to reduce again the current consumption of the solenoid.

3. An electro-magnetic switching system as claimed in claim 1, in which the solenoid is constituted by a primary winding and a secondary winding having a connection between one end of the primary winding and one end of the secondary winding. and in which the said switching means adapted to be actuated by the displaceable member comprises further switches corresponding in number with the said number of positions, each of the said further switches having one contact thereof connected with the point of connection between the primary and secondary windings and the other contact thereof connected with one of the fixed contacts of the said control switch, a lead connecting that end of the secondary winding remote from its connection with the primary winding with the first of the fixed contacts of the control switch, a source of electrical energy having one pole thereof connected with the movable contact of the control switch and the other pole thereof connected with that end of the primary winding remote from its connection with the secondary winding, whereby asra consequence of movement of the core under the influence of the magnetic field set up in the primary winding by a relatively high rate of current consumption when the movable contact of the control switch is brought into engagement with one of its fixed contacts the said displaceable member is caused to open the contacts of one of the said further switches thereby placing the secondary winding in series with the primary winding and maintaining the current consumption at a reduced value as long as the movable contact of the control switch is retained in engagement with the said fixed contact thereof.

4. An electro-magnetic switching system comprising a base plate, a solenoid rigidly supported thereon, a core slidably engaged in the solenoid, a displaceable member rigidly connected with the core and adapted as a consequence of the slidable movement thereof to be moved into a plurality of positions, a control switch having a movable contact and a plurality of fixed contacts corresponding in number with the said number of positions, means adapted upon movement of the movable contact of the control switch into engagement with any one oi. the fixed contacts to cause the solenoid to be energized at a relatively high rate of current consumption whereby the core is caused to move the displaceable member into one of the said positions, axially movable stops in the solenoid arranged in the path of travel of the core and spaced apart at positions corresponding with the distances through which the core is displaced when moving from one position into an adjacent position, the said stops being adapted to retain the core in any one of the positions into which it may be moved as long as the movable contact of the switch is maintained in engagement with the corresponding fixed contact, and means adapted as the core approaches any one of the said positions automatically to reduce the current consumption of the solenoid.

5. An electro-magnetic switching system as claimed in claim 4 comprising a tubular element upon which the solenoid is supported, and shoulders therein forming abutments for locating the stops in their normal position.

6. An electro-magnetic switching system as claimed in claim 4 comprising means adapted resiliently to urge the stops towards their normal positions.

7. An electro-magnetic switching system as claimed in claim 1, in 'a'hich the solenoid is constituted by a primary winding and a secondary winding having a connection between one end of the primary winding and one end of the second ary winding, and in which the said switching means adapted to be actuated by the displaceable member comprises further switches corresponding in number with the said number of positions, each oi the said further switches having a hexlble movable contact secured to the base plate and connected with the point of connection between the primary and secondary windings, and a fixed contact connected with one or the fixed contacts of the said control switch, a lead connecting that end of the secondary winding remote from its connection with the primary winding with the first of the fixed contacts of the control switch, a source of electrical energy having one pole thereof connected with the movable contact of the control switch and the other pole thereof connected with that end of the primary winding remote from its connection with the secondary winding, whereby as a consequence of movement or the core under the influence of the magnetic field set up in the primary winding by a relatively high rate of current consumption when the movable contact oi the control switch is brought into engagement with one of its fixed contacts the said displaceable member is caused to open the movable and fixed contacts of one of the said i'urther switches thereby placing the secondary winding in series with the primary winding and maintaining the current consumption at a reduced value as long as the movable contact of the control switch is retained in engagement with the said fixed contact thereof.

CHARLES JAMES, EVANS. STANLEY CHARLES EVANS. 

